Electric connector



Sept. 1952 G. B. BENANDER ETAL ELECTRIC CONNECTOR,

Filed Aug. 24. 1949 Inventors siorge BiBenander,

GustafR. so

- Their Attor end of an electric cord.

Patented Sept. 2, 1952 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE George B. Benander, Oaklawn, R. L, and Gustaf R. Lawson, Abington, Mass., assignors, by mesne assignments, to General Electric Company, a

corporation of New York Application August 24, 1949, Serial No. 112,073

'39 Claims. (01. 173-361) The present inventionrelates to electricconnectors and more particularly to replacement plugs, receptacles, outlets and like connectors adapted to be attached to or detached from an An object of the invention is to provide a'simple and inexpensive connector which can be quickly attached to an electric cord to provide a strong, safe connection. I

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the fol-lowing description of the invention and with reference to 'the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a connector embodying the features of the present invention: Fig. 2'is an elevational view with one sideof the connector body removed to show the arrangement of parts in'the cord receiving position; Fig. Bis a view similar to'Fig. 2 illustrating the arrangement of the parts in the cord engaging position; Fig. 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional 'view along line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top view of a modification of the invention and Figs.

7 and 8 are elevational views along lineal- 1 and 8-8 respectively of Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawing, the conv hector illustrated comprises a plug having a body part of substantially rectangular cross section preferably formed of two complementary memhers I and 2 made of molded insulating material such as'a phenolic resin. In the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, these body members are of identical construction so that the description of one will suflice for both.

The two members are secured together as by bolts 3 or other suitable means and in the assembled position cooperate to definea vertical re- "cess 4 in the top of the connector body. Communicating with the bottom of this recess are a pair of grooves 5 and 6 in which a pair of eleccontact with the prongs by means of shoulders I 3 and M.

"Means "for pressing the cord downwardly between the supporting shoulders and into piercing 2 engagement with the prongs 9 and l-0 comprise a lever l5 pivotally mounted in the top portion of the recess on a pin I 6, which preferably is-of spring material such as spring tempered music wire "to allow some flexing for variations inthe elasticityor hardness of difierent conductor insulations. The ends of the pin I6 {are supported in the opposite side walls of the recess. The lever comprises a cam arm H and an operating arm I8 substantially at right angles to one another. It is adapted to be rotated between the cord receiving position shown in Fig. 2 and the cord clamping position of Fig. 3 in which the cam surface of arm' [8 extends downwardly between the shoulders l3 and M a distance sufficient to press the cord into piercing engagement with the prongs 9 and i0, whereby the prongs, which are transversely spaced apart within the recess, are respectively in electrical contact with the conductors comprising the cord. The lever 15 is so constructed that whenit is in the cord clamping position, the operating arm 18 is nested in the recess with its exposed surface I!) substantially flush with the top surface of the connector.

To facilitate the closing of the lever, particularly when the connector is used with a rubber insulated cord, at flexible strip 20' of insulating material, such as sheet fib'en'is arranged within the recess between the cam surface and the cord and the lever can be moved to the clamping posi- 'tion with little eirort and without any tendency for the cam arm to eject the cord iromthe'recess during the early part of the closing operation prior to the time when the cord is brought in engagement with the prongs 9 and l0.

To attach the connector to an electric'cord, the end of'the cord is inserted in the cord receiving aperture H where either directly or indirectly it exerts a pressure on the forward surface 26 of the cam arm I! thereby rotating the lever to the position shown in Fig. 2. The cord is'then pushed into the recess until the end contacts or approaches the back wall 24 of the recess'and overlies'shoulder I4. With the cord in this position,

the lever is closed against the cordor the fiber strip, when such is present, to'force a portion of the cord downwardly onto'the prongs and to i, 3 clamp adjacent portions of the cord between the cam surface and shoulders I3 and [4 so that any pull on the cord will be absorbed by the clamped portions, particularly that adjacent shoulder l3 and will not be transmitted to the prongs 9 and In.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive comprises means for separating the two conductors atthe end of the cord within the recess to eliminate any chance of a short circuit between the ends even though the cord should not happen to be cut cleanly or in the case the insulation should push back from the ends of the conductors during insertion thereof intothe conthe projection extending from the surface of the and said cord.

member forming part of the back wall of the recess and adapted to overlie the end of one of the conductors 32. of the cord. A sloping surface on the second member opposite or adjacent the projectiontl provides means'forifpositively fdirecting the end of the secohd conductor'3 lupwardly and .away from the end of conductcr 32 at the time the cord is inserted intothe connector recess, Bythisarrangement, when the'cord is pressed'into contact with prongs 9 and lllby cam arnrl'l, the end of conductor 341willIremain. in its upwardly directed position while pro- J'ection 3| will prevent the end of conductor 32 fromrising to a similar position. Except'forprojectiontiand the sloping wall portion, thedetailed construction of the modified connector the same as thatshown in Figs 1 to 5. I -While the invention has been specifically illustrated with reference .to aplug type of connector, from the description thereof it will be seen that it-is not limited thereto but is applicable to the various electric connectors adapted to, be

electrically and mechanically connected to the endof an electric cord,

, What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

a ,1. An electric connector comprising a body part having a vertical recess in the top thereof, cona flexible metal pin extending transversely across [said recess adjacent'the top thereof, a lever pivvotally mounted onsaid pinadjacentthe top'cf said apertureai'ld having an iarnifor pressing an electrici cordinto engagement with-said pierc- Jin'g means, and av flexible strip ,halvifngia free end ada ted to be interposed. between said lever andan electric cord.

2. Anelectric connector etmtnsmgabodg part having a vertical recess in'the'to'p thereof,'.co'ntact means, piercing means electrically cqnncted to said contact means and'extending into the bottom portion of said recess s houlder portions with- I in said-recess and on opposite s'ides of;saidfpiercing means, a cordreceiving aperture communicating with said recess above said shoulder portions,

a flexible metal pin extending transversely across said recesseadjacent the top thereof and a lever pivotallymounted on said pin and having a cam surfac'e'at one end thereof for pressing "anelectric cord downwardly between said shoulders and into contactuwith said piercing ,mearis. j-'

3. An electric connector com risin at bo y part 4 having a vertical recess in the top portion thereof, contact means, piercing means electrically connected to said contact means and protruding into the bottom of said recess, a cord receiving aperture communicating with said recess above said piercing means, a lever pivotally mounted ad- .jacentthe top of said aperture and having an arm for pressing an electric cord into engagement with said piercing means, and a flexible strip having a free end interposed between said lever arm 4. An electric connector comprising a body portion having walls defining a recess in the top thereof, aplurality of electrical contacts, piercing means electrically connected one respectively to each of said contacts and projecting into the bottom portion of said recess, a cord receiving aperture positioned in one vertical wall of said recess to admit a poly conductor electric cord for contact along its length with said piercing means, means for eifecting conductor end separation comprisingprotrusions positioned on. a vertical wallfofsaid recess opposite saidfaperture to be lenga e ble one respectivelywitheachof the coriductors todivert the same along a plane passing between them, said plane. being perpendicular to a plane including said conductors, and a lever pivotally mounted adjacent the top of said'recess for pressing said conductors individnallyinto con;

tact with said piercing means. 1.

"5, An electric connector comprisingtwocom- V plementary members forming a; body ,partfeach of said membershaving grooves together defining a recess in said, body part with an electric cord receiving aperture in one 1 wall; of said. recess,

contact means, piercing means electrically connected to saidcontact means'and extending into said recess, each of said members further hav ing oppositely inclined wall surfaces forming together an end of said recess facing said cord re- 'ceiving aperture, said oppositely inclined, surfaces being adapted to divertin opposite directions the conductor ends of a twin conductor cord wh en inserted into said aperture and through said recessfto engage the end thereof, alever pivotally' mounted between 'saidfbody' -members in said recess and having a cam surface for pressing said cord into"engagement with said piercing means.

6; An electricconnector. comprising two complementary members forming a body part, each cfsaid members. havingfg'roove's defining a recess said body partwith' an electric'cordreceiving aperture in one wall of said recess, contact means, zeroing meanselectrically connected to said con- :tact means and extending. into saidrecess, each of said .members 7 further having 'oprmsitely inclined Wall surfaces forming together an end of said recess facing said eordireceiving-aperture. said oppositely inclined surfaces being adapted to divertin opposite directions the conductor ends of a twin conductor cold when inserted into ,said

aperture and throughv saidrecess to engage the end thereof, a flexible pin extending across said recess adjacent one end thereof with'the ends of said pin supported in the walls defining said recess, a lever pivotally mounted on said pin for movement about a transverselaxis, said lever including a cam arm'lwithin said recess for pressing an electric cord into enga'g'ement'with said piercing means, an operatin arm extending substantially at right angles to thecam 'arrnland adapted to be received in said recess with the. exposed: surfacethereof fiush' with the surface of said' body when the cam arm is in the cord pressingposition; nd aflexible strip having cne end anchored in a wall of said recess and a free end interposed between said cam arm and the cord.

7. An electric connector comprising a body portion having a recess therein, contact means for engaging an external electrical circuit, piercing means electrically connected to said contact means and extending into said recess, a cord receiving aperture communicating with said recess, a flexible metal pin extending transversely across said recess adjacent one end thereof, a lever pivotally mounted on said pin and having a cam arm for pressing an electric cord into engagement with said piercing means, and a fiexilbe strip having a free end adapted to be interposed between said lever arm and an electrical cord.

8. An electric connector comprising two complementary members forming a body part, each of said members having grooves together defining a recess in said body part with an electric cord receiving aperture in one Wall of said recess, contact means, piercing means electrically connected to said contact means and extending into said recess, each of said members further having oppositely inclined wall surfaces forming together an end of said recess facing said cord receiving aperture, said oppositely inclined surfaces being adapted to divert in opposite directions the conductor ends of the twin conductor cord when inserted into said aperture and through said recess to engage the end thereof, a lever pivotally mounted between said body members in said recess and having a cam surface for pressing said cord into engagement with said piercing means, said lever having an open and a closed position, said lever in its open position exposing said recess to give visual indication of said cord separating recess end whereby the separation of the conductor ends may be ascertained before said lever is pivoted to its closed position.

9. An electric connector comprising a body portion having walls defining a recess therein with the open end of said recess lying in a plane including a surface of said body portion, contact means mounted in said body portion, piercing means electrically connected to said contact means and extending into said recess to lie in a wall thereof opposite its open end, a cord receiving aperture positioned in a wall of said recess to admit an electric cord therethrough, a flexible metal pin extending transversely across said recess, and a lever pivotally mounted on said pin, said lever having both a cam arm for pressing an electric cord into engagement with said piercing means and an operating arm extending away from said cam arm, said lever having dimensions adapting it to be received in said recess with an exposed surface of said operating arm lying substantially flush With said surface of said body portion to close the open end of said recess when said cam arm is in the cord pressing position.

GEORGE B. BENANDER. GUSTAF R. LAWSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,977,677 Hill Oct. 23, 1934 2,465,700 Tuttle Mar. 29, 1949 

